A Bet Between Friends
by sully vann
Summary: Who wins the bet on the outcome of a race if you don't finish the race?


Title: A Bet Between Friends (Who May Actually Be More Than Friends)

Author: sullyvann

Claim: Greg Sanders/Sara Sidle

Fandom: CSI

Theme: Set 1, #49 – writer's choice

Rating: G

Summary: Who wins the bet on the outcome of a race if you don't finish the race?

Author's Notes: Written for csi50. Takes place during 4x20, 'Dead Ringer'.

--- 

"Oh, before you guys leave, make sure to sign up for the CSI relay next week if you're interested. Winning team gets a new top-of-the-line computer for their AV lab as well as some new software to help test run," Grissom said as he handed out assignments for the night.

"Grab your kit, Greg. We've got quite a drive for our B and E." Sara said, turning to Greg as the rest of the team paired off and made their way towards their respective cases.

"Hang on," Greg replied, grabbing a pen and making his way over to the table where Grissom had indicated the relay signed up sheet was. As he uncapped his pen, Sara came up beside him.

"The relay? Do you know how long that thing is? It's pretty hardcore."

"You signed up," Greg said, pointing to her name a few lines above his.

"Greg, you hate sports – of any kind. Why would you voluntarily sign up to run a relay?"

"You don't think I can do it, do you?" Greg said, regarding Sara as they made their way down the hall and out towards the lab's car.

"Not really, Greggo." Sara grinned. "You just don't seem like a relay-running guy. Especially since people take it so seriously. Catherine and Grissom have been training for months."

"I'm hurt, Sara." Greg said, climbing into the passenger's side like he always did when they went somewhere together. "I am not intimated or discouraged, but thanks for that. As a matter of fact - are you so confident in your underestimation of me that'd you bet on it?"

"What are you talking about Greg?" Sara said as she pulled out of the parking lot.

"Let's just say that, oh, I don't know, if I get the best time out of the CSIs running my portion, you have to watch _Donnie Darko_ with me again."

Sara groaned. "Greg, I've already seen it. I saw the original version and the director's cut. You forced me!"

"But every single time you watch it, you finally understand something new!"

"Okay, fine. But what if you don't get the fastest time?"

"Then, uhm – well, what do you want to wager?" Greg asked.

"If you don't get the fastest time," Sara started. "You have to take me out to dinner – wherever I choose."

"That sounds reasonable. I won't don't think I'll actually have to deal with any of your weird tastes in food, since I know I'm going to win."

"We'll see, Greg. We'll see." Sara said, grinning.

---

Sara was running her portion of the race as Greg and the rest of the team cheered her on. She couldn't hear anything other than the sound of her breathing and Greg's yelling as she neared Nick, who she had to pass the baton to.

Team CSI Las Vegas was in first place. They were when she started and if she could just reach Nick in about the next 30 seconds, they'd still be in the lead.

Sara breathed in deep, tightened her grip on the baton, and took off at a full speed sprint. Nick started jogging forward as soon as he saw her burst of speed. She handed off the baton but continued to run as momentum carried her away from the majority of her team. Greg reached out, grabbed her by the waist, and pulled her into a hug.

"We are smoking the other teams, Sara!" Greg yelled in her ear over the other teams' cheering as their runners finished the same lap as Sara and other runners started another lap.

"I can't wait for you to take me out to a victory dinner, Greg!" Sara replied as Greg spun her around.

"I haven't even run my portion yet. And I've been training. I'm pretty sure we'll be watching Donnie Darko one more time!" Greg grinned.

Sara just grinned at Greg as his hand stayed firmly placed on her hip.

---

"Greg!" Sara called, running towards the start mark he was currently stretching at.

"Sara! Come to see me win our little bet?" Greg asked, grinning.

"No," Sara replied. "Came to tell you we have a crime scene. Let's go." Sara said.

"Are you serious?" Greg asked, stopping his jumping jacks and looking at Sara. "Or are you trying to, I don't know, psyche me out?"

"No. Dead body turned up at Catherine's portion of the race. Now, can we go?" Sara explained.

---

"So I hear you solved the Senteno case." Greg said as Sara entered the DNA lab.

"Yeah. The wife killed the wrong woman." Sara replied. "What are you doing here so late? Isn't your shift over?"

"Trying to do some processing for days before I leave. They're swamped."

"So you're too busy to watch Donnie Darko at my place?" Sara asked casually.

Greg looked up from the microscope and turned to face Sara. "Interesting proposal." Greg grinned.

"I thought I could rent the movie and you could get takeout from Firewater Café."

"Isn't that Indian food?" Greg asked, wincing at the though of it.

"I'll watch your movie if you'll eat my food," Sara said. "It's only fair, since neither of us won the bet."

"I guess fair is fair. I've been looking forward to watching Donnie Darko with you." Greg immediately realized what he had said. "I mean, because it's fun to point out things you've probably missed. Because I've seen it more times than you."

"I've been looking forward to dinner with you," Sara grinned. "Just because it's fun to listen to you order food you can't pronounce."


End file.
